SCHIFF, D.: Gimpel the Fool

Gimpel the Fool is a setting of the
story by Polish-born American
Yiddish writer Isaac Bashevis Singer
(1904-1991). In the words of the
composer, also of Polish descent, “it
turned out to be world full of spirits
and demons, as well as a world
inseparable from Judaism”. The
opera was given its first performance
in November 1975 at Hebrew Union
College in New York as a version for
singers and piano. It was subsequently
orchestrated and the full
version is heard on this recording.
David Schiff was born in New
York City in 1945. He studied composition
with Ursula Mamlok at the
Manhattan School of Music and with
Elliott Carter at the Juilliard School,
and is the author of books on the
music of Elliott Carter and George
Gershwin. Since 1980 Schiff has
taught at Reed College, Portland,
Oregon.